Romney is a town in

Hampshire County, West Virginia Hampshire County is a List of counties in West Virginia, county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 23,093. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia, Romney, West Virginia's o ...

, United States, and its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

. The population was 1,722 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Winchester, Virginia metropolitan area. The town was established in 1762 along with Shepherdstown; together, they are the two oldest towns in

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

History

Established by consecutive acts of the

Virginia House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses () was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It existed during the colonial history of the United States in the Colony of Virginia in what was then British America. From 1642 to 1776, the Hou ...

and approved by the governor on December 23, 1762, Romney and Mecklenburg (later renamed Shepherdstown), in Jefferson County, are the oldest towns in

. The bill containing the ''Act for establishing the town of Romney, in the county of Hampshire, and for other purposes therein-mentioned,'' is listed 20th on a list of approved "publick and private bills" and is immediately followed by ''An Act for establishing the town of Mecklenburg, in the county of Frederick.'' Originally settled in 1725 by hunters and traders, Romney was known as Pearsall's Flats and was the site of the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

stockade

Fort Pearsall Fort Pearsall was an early frontier fort constructed in 1756 in Romney, West Virginia, Romney, West Virginia (then known as Pearsall's Flats, Virginia) to protect local settlers in the Potomac River#South Branch Potomac River, South Branch Potomac ...

. Named for the

Cinque Ports The confederation of Cinque Ports ( ) is a historic group of coastal towns in south-east England – predominantly in Kent and Sussex, with one outlier (Brightlingsea) in Essex. The name is Old French, meaning "five harbours", and alludes to ...

town of Romney,

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

, England, by

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (22 October 16939 December 1781) was a British-born planter. The only member of the British peerage to permanently reside in British America, Fairfax owned the Northern Neck Proprietary in the Colony ...

, the town still bears place names and symbols from its colonial past such as its Marsham Street, named for

Robert Marsham Robert Marsham (27 January 17084 September 1797) was an English naturalist considered to be the founding father of phenology, the study of the effects of the seasons on plants and animals. Life He was admitted to Clare College, Cambridge in 1728 ...

, 2nd Baron Romney. It is also home to the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind and the nation's First Confederate Memorial in Indian Mound Cemetery. Romney Academy was first incorporated by the

Virginia General Assembly The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, and the first elected legislative assembly in the New World. It was established on July 30, ...

on January 11, 1814, and was active until 1846 when it was reorganized as the Romney Classical Institute. Romney Academy was one of the earliest institutions for higher learning within the present boundaries of the state of West Virginia. The Romney Classical Institute, a coeducational collegiate preparatory school, survived until 1866. The loss of members due to the American Civil War forced its closure. The

Romney Expedition The Romney Expedition was a military expedition of the Confederate States Army during the early part of the American Civil War. It is named for Romney, West Virginia, which at the time was still in the state of Virginia. The expedition was conduc ...

of the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

occurred in the early

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. It was part of the preliminary actions of

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern the ...

's Valley Campaign as Jackson cleared Union Army troops led by Major General Nathaniel Banks and Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans from the lower

Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...

and surrounding Allegheny ranges, and then successfully severed the

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroads in North America, oldest railroad in the United States and the first steam engine, steam-operated common carrier. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 ...

and the

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal and occasionally called the Grand Old Ditch, operated from 1831 until 1924 along the Potomac River between Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. It replaced the Patowmack Canal ...

. His army advanced from

Winchester Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...

towards

Cumberland, Maryland Cumberland is a city in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,075. Located on the Potomac River, Cumberland is a regional business and comm ...

, but withdrew after reaching Romney due to harsh winter conditions.Maier, p. 10. Romney was occupied by both Union and Confederate soldiers multiple times throughout the war. The West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind was established in 1870 upon the campus of the Romney Classical Institute.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cold winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Romney has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Romney, West Virginia
/ref>

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 1,848 people, 843 households, and 410 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 967 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 2.7%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population. There were 843 households, of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 51.4% were non-families. 46.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.3% were from 25 to 44; 23% were from 45 to 64; and 23.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 44.1% male and 55.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,940 people, 884 households, and 454 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 974 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.91%

, 1.91%

, 0.05% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population. There were 884 households, out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.7% were

living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. 44.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.72. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $22,261, and the median income for a family was $34,271. Males had a median income of $28,667 versus $20,000 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $15,765. About 17.2% of families and 24.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.

Schools and recreation

* Hampshire High School Sports Complex, US Route 50 East ** Baseball Field, Cross Country Trails, Running Track, Soccer Field, Softball Field * Hampshire Park & 4-H Camp, South Branch River Road (CR 8) ** Picnic Pavilions, Baseball Field, Basketball Court, Volleyball Court, Tennis Courts * Old Romney High School, 111 School Street ** Baseball Field, Basketball Courts, Football Field, Running Track * Romney Recreation Center, 260 School Street ** Swimming Facilities * West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind Grounds, East Main Street ** Baseball Field, Basketball Courts, Picnic Pavilions, Running Track, Soccer Field, Swimming Facilities

Government

Romney is governed by a

Mayor–council government A mayor–council government is a system of local government in which a mayor who is directly elected by the voters acts as chief executive, while a separately elected city council constitutes the legislative body. It is one of the two most comm ...

. As of 2022, the mayor was Beverly C. Keadle, and the council members were Duncan Hott, John Duncan III, Paula O’Brien, Robin Pancake, Savanna Morgret and William Taylor.

Transportation

Romney is served by two primary highways, the more prominent of them being

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...

. US 50 heads eastward from Romney towards

and

Interstate 81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40, I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee, Dandridge, Tennessee; its nort ...

. To the west, US 50 intersects

U.S. Route 220 U.S. Route 220 (US 220) is a spur route of US 20. It runs in a north–south layout in the eastern United States, unlike its parent route as well as conventionally even-numbered highways, which run east-west. US 220 extends for ...

, climbs the

Allegheny Front The Allegheny Front is the major southeast- or east-facing escarpment in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania, western Maryland, eastern West Virginia, and western Virginia. The Allegheny Front forms the boundary between the Ridge-an ...

, briefly enters Garrett County,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

, and then returns to West Virginia, eventually reaching Grafton. The other primary highway serving Romney is West Virginia Route 28, which heads southward towards Moorefield and north towards

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...

and

Interstate 68 Interstate 68 (I-68) is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting Interstate 79, I-79 in Morgantown, West Virginia, east to Interstate 70, I-70 in Hancock, Maryland. I-68 is also Corridor E of ...

. Although not usually used for daily transport, the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad has its terminal here.

Notable people

Stephen Ailes Stephen Ailes (May 25, 1912 – June 30, 2001) was a prominent member of the District of Columbia Bar and a partner in the firm of Steptoe & Johnson. He served as the United States Under Secretary of the Army from February 9, 1961, to January 2 ...

, 8th

United States Secretary of the Army The secretary of the Army (SA or SECARMY) is a senior civilian official within the United States Department of Defense, with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, insta ...

* James Dillon Armstrong, state legislator and circuit court judge * William Armstrong,

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

* John Rinehart Blue, state legislator * William C. Clayton, state legislator * Edna Brady Cornwell, First Lady of West Virginia * John J. Cornwell, 15th

Governor of West Virginia A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...

* William B. Cornwell, lawyer and businessman * John Collins Covell, principal of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind * Samuel Lightfoot Flournoy, state legislator * Samuel Lightfoot Flournoy, lawyer * Henry Bell Gilkeson, state legislator and principal of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind * Howard Hille Johnson, founder of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind * James Sloan Kuykendall, state legislator * Charles S. Lawrence,

Institute of Food Technologists The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is an international, non-profit scientific society of professionals engaged in food science, food technology, and related areas in academia, government and industry. It has more than 17,000 members from ...

Executive Vice President * Thomas Bryan Martin, colonial-era Virginia politician * Angus William McDonald,

colonel * Marshall McDonald,

United States Fish Commission The United States Fish Commission, formally known as the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, was an agency of the United States government created in 1871 to investigate, promote, and preserve the Fishery, fisheries of the United St ...

er * Jerry Mezzatesta, state legislator * Alexander W. Monroe, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates * Samuel Mulledy, academic * Thomas Mulledy, academic * Ann Pancake, author * Chet Pancake, filmmaker *

Sam Pancake Sam Pancake (born May 10, 1964) is an American actor, improviser, writer, and comedian. He began his career with small roles in TV and film, such as '' Wings'' in 1990 and '' Pizza Man'' in 1991. Early life Sam Pancake was raised in Romney, We ...

, actor * Isaac Parsons, state legislator * Isaac Parsons, Confederate military officer and politician * Lee Hawse Patteson, First Lady of West Virginia *

Randall Terry Randall Allen Terry (born April 25, 1959) is an American politician and activist. Terry founded the anti-abortion organization Operation Save America, Operation Rescue. Beginning in 1987, the group became particularly prominent for blockading th ...

, anti-abortion activist * Christian Streit White, local politician * John Baker White, local politician * John Baker White, West Virginia Board of Control member * Robert White, Attorney General of West Virginia * Robert White, state legislator * Charles M. Williams,

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...

professor * Andrew Wodrow, local politician * Joshua Soule Zimmerman, state legislator * Josh & Erin Meyers, (You Tubers & Entrepreneurs) Wild Wonderful Off-Grid You Tube Channel, Wild Roots Cafe, Lore Collective Soaps

References

* Ailes, John C. ''Romney, West Virginia, 1762-1962''. Romney, West Virginia, Hampshire Review, 1962. * Ambler, Charles Henry. "Romney In The Civil War." ''West Virginia History'', Charleston, West Virginia, 1943–44. Arc 1. 4: 5. * Ansel, William H., Jr. ''Frontier Forts Along The Potomac And Its Tributaries''. Parsons, West Virginia, McClain Publishing Company, reprint 1995. * * * Hampshire County 250th Anniversary Committee: ''Hampshire County, West Virginia, 1754-2004''. 2004. * Maxwell, Hu. ''History of Hampshire County, West Virginia: From its earliest settlement to the present''. Morgantown, West Virginia, A.B. Boughner, 1897. * * Sauers, Richard A. ''The Devastating Hand of War: Romney, West Virginia During the Civil War''. Leesburg, Virginia, Gauley Mount Press, 2000.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Romney, West Virginia 1762 establishments in the Colony of Virginia Cities in Hampshire County, West Virginia Cities in West Virginia County seats in West Virginia Hampshire County, West Virginia, in the American Civil War Northwestern Turnpike Populated places established in 1762 Populated places in the Cumberland, MD-WV MSA Populated places on the South Branch Potomac River American Civil War sites in West Virginia